# Spotting a Familiar Actor in a Surprising Place - Part Deux **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 26, 2017, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931 "2017-06-26T19:06:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/61 "2017-06-29T05:34:19Z")
> [@USCDiver](#): > > I was surprised to see Viggo Mortenson as Weps (the weapons dude) on the submarine drama Crimson Tide. _Witness_ has been a favorite film since it was released in 1985. A few years ago I bought the DVD, and watched it with my wife (her first time), and she said, “Hey, there’s Viggo Mortensen, playing some Amish guy!” I laughed and dismissed her – “Yeah, right – I’ve seen this film at least 20 times, and I like Viggo – I think I would have noticed that!” She was right. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/62 "2017-06-29T16:49:03Z")
Tom Hanks played Uncle Ned Donnelly, Elyse’s alcoholic younger brother, on three episodes of Family Ties. He punched out Alex P Keaton. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/63 "2017-06-29T18:54:15Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Tom Hanks played Uncle Ned Donnelly, Elyse’s alcoholic younger brother, on three episodes of Family Ties. He punched out Alex P Keaton. I think I remember that. Was that the guy that drank the vanilla extract? Lol. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/64 "2017-06-29T19:00:31Z")
That’s the one. Peter Scolari was also on the show, playing a co-worker who had a crush on Elyse. Too bad they didn’t get the two of them together. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/65 "2017-07-03T13:36:53Z")
Emily Deschanel of “Bones” fame starred in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as victim Cassie Germaine. They thought the guy stalking her was the attacker, but it turned out to be the male stalker’s female stalker. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/66 "2017-07-03T16:57:16Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Asner played the same character that he played on the original 5-0, who was sent away to prison for a long time. In the new episode, he had just gotten out as an old man. He must have wondered why he got old and all the cops who put him away stayed so young. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/67 "2017-07-03T18:42:22Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > I think I remember that. Was that the guy that drank the vanilla extract? Lol. Yep. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/68 "2017-07-03T18:55:55Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Tom Hanks played Uncle Ned Donnelly, Elyse’s alcoholic younger brother, on three episodes of Family Ties. He punched out Alex P Keaton. Before that, he was on **Happy Days** as a guy planning to overcome Fonzie’s knack for 1950s-style fisticuffs with an obscure Japanese art known as _ka-ra-te!_ ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/69 "2017-07-03T19:16:04Z")
James Earl Jones made his screen debut as a B-52 crewman in _Dr. Strangelove_. Harrison Ford was car guy Bob Falfa in _American Graffiti_ (lots of other future stars in that movie, too). A young Geena Davis plays a TV news gofer in _Tootsie_. John Spencer (perhaps best known as Leo McGarry on _The West Wing_) and Michael Madsen (_Reservoir Dogs_ etc.) were Air Force missile officers in the opening scene of _WarGames_. > [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Morgan Freeman [on](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzqUnL89WkM) _The Electric Company_. If you don’t want to sit through the cartoon, he first appears at 1:40. > [@Sherrerd](#): > > Jemaine Clement [as Fart on _Rick and Morty_]. Right you are: [Fart | Rick and Morty Wiki | Fandom](http://rickandmorty.wikia.com/wiki/Fart) > [@cochrane](#): > > [John Ratzenberger] has played a character in every single Pixar movie to date, since _Toy Story_. Not always a main character every single time, but he’ll have at least a line or two. I wrote to Pixar a few years ago and suggested they record him now saying several hundred innocuous phrases they can use in future movies, making arrangements to pay his estate (he ain’t getting any younger). It’d be nice if they could keep that tradition going. No surprise, I never heard back from them. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/70 "2017-07-03T19:17:19Z")
Barney Martin, who played Morty Seinfeld (Jerry’s father), was on a few episodes of the Odd Couple. Weird thing is he appeared to not have aged between 1970 and 1990. Jodie Foster had a small but important role in the French film A Very Long Engagement. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/71 "2017-07-03T19:24:03Z")
Ivan Dixon played Sidney Poitier’s brother in A Patch of Blue. He later starred on Hogan’s Heroes. In the Eight is Enough TV pilot the role of oldest son David Bradford was played by Mark Hamill! When the pilot was picked up for a series, he couldn’t do it cause he was busy doing some movie. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/72 "2017-07-03T21:04:36Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Ivan Dixon played Sidney Poitier’s brother in A Patch of Blue. He later starred on Hogan’s Heroes. He was also a washed-up boxer in an early episode of _ **Twilight Zone** _. I didn’t even recognize him without his mustache! > [@](#): > > In the Eight is Enough TV pilot the role of oldest son David Bradford was played by Mark Hamill! When the pilot was picked up for a series, he couldn’t do it cause he was busy doing some movie. _ **Corvette Summer** _? :dubious: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/73 "2017-07-03T21:18:25Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Ivan Dixon played Sidney Poitier’s brother in A Patch of Blue. He later starred on Hogan’s Heroes. > > In the Eight is Enough TV pilot the role of oldest son David Bradford was played by Mark Hamill! When the pilot was picked up for a series, he couldn’t do it cause he was busy doing some movie. Binge watching “Night Gallery” a year or so ago. The episode was “There Aren’t Any More MacBanes.” That messenger boy looks and _sounds_ familiar. It’s Mark Hamill, 1972. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/74 "2017-07-04T03:25:51Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > …Jodie Foster had a small but important role in the French film A Very Long Engagement. Yes! As a Frenchwoman, speaking not a word of English - I didn’t recognize her at first (mildly NSFW): [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIxtdrML0rE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIxtdrML0rE) ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2017, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/75 "2017-07-04T19:09:23Z")
Another one from Star Trek: Michael Harney, Dr. Healy from OITNB, played a Star Fleet intelligence officer in the Deep Space Nine episode _Honor Among Thieves_ (season six, episode 15). I only recognized him from his voice, then had to check the credits to be sure. What a surprise! ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/76 "2017-07-05T01:15:02Z")
Also in “Tootsie” When Dustin Hoffman, as Dorothy, hails a cab and a guy gets in first, Tootsie drags the guy out of it and gets in. That guy is Woodie Allen ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/77 "2017-07-05T01:34:46Z")
British TV comedy series [Drop the Dead Donkey](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098781/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_65) had Daniel Craig show up as leader of a shoplifting gang for about a minute of screen time. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/78 "2017-07-05T01:41:55Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > Ratzenberger must have the perfect actor’s career. He created an iconic character on one of the most beloved sitcoms ever, so he’s famous enough to work whenever he wants (and, between _Cheers_ and his Pixar work, never has to worry about making the next mortgage payment); but he’s not so huge as to have to fight off paparazzi or worry about TMZ digging through his trash. Jim Jefferries had him on his show Legit. If you can track down him doing any Ratzenberger stories it’s worth it. He’s quite a character in real life and Jim does a pitch perfect impersonation. A very recent one. I was suprised to see Scott Thompson from Kids in the Hall in an episode of American Gods. Due to some really bad luck he’s not around very long. Band of Brothers has a ton of “before they were famous.” Without mentioning the leads who became better known through the show, some of the minor roles were played by Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy, Simon Pegg, Jamie Bamber and James McAvoy. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/79 "2017-07-06T05:07:41Z")
Just saw Donna Douglas in an episode of \*\*\*Twilight Zone \*\*\*opposite Jesse White and Carol Burnett. Blink and you’d miss her; she’s a high society girl in a tight white dress. Looks just like she did in those episodes of _ **The Beverly Hillbillies** _ where Elly May was all gussied up! :o ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931/80 "2017-07-06T09:35:59Z")
Fess Parker as a traumatized pilot in **Them!** That’s just wrong, though. Dan’l Boone ain’t supposed to be flyin’ no airplane. Neither is Davey Crockett. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spotting-a-familiar-actor-in-a-surprising-place-part-deux/789931.md?page=5)